As the Beaufort County School District searches for a new superintendent after the departure of Valerie Truesdale to Charlotte, the Board of Education will ask the public for some guidance.
The district has announced it will hold a series of public forums on October 10 and 11 to solicit guidance from the public as to what is important for the next holder of the top job.
An online survey is also being run for those who cannot attend a meeting.
An interim leader was appointed in August.
Here are details from a release:
BEAUFORT – A series of eight public forums next week – along with the availability of an online survey – will offer Beaufort County residents the opportunity to help guide the search for the school district’s next superintendent.
Last month the Board of Education hired Ray and Associates, an experienced education executive search firm, to coordinate the nationwide search to replace Valerie Truesdale, who retired after a five-year tenure as superintendent. One of the search firm’s first steps will be collecting broad-based input from parents, students, educators, community and business leaders, and other key stakeholders about the personal and professional characteristics that candidates for the job should possess.
The first four public forums will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 10:
- Noon – Whale Branch Early College High School media center
- Noon – Hilton Head High School auditorium
- 7 p.m. – Whale Branch Early College High School media center
- 7 p.m. – Hilton Head High School Auditorium
The second set of public forums will be held on Thursday, Oct. 11:
- Noon – Beaufort High School auditorium
- Noon – Bluffton High School auditorium
- 7 p.m. – Beaufort High School auditorium
- 7 p.m. – Bluffton High School auditorium
At each forum, Ray and Associates will also present an overview and timeline for the search.
An online survey is available for persons who are unable to attend one of the eight community forums (www.surveymonkey.com/s/7B85292).
A four-member Board of Education committee is supervising the search: co-chairs Laura Bush and Bill Evans, Earl Campbell and George Wilson. Board Chairman Fred S. Washington, Jr. asked the committee last month to ensure that community input played a significant role.
Jackie Rosswurm, a 40-year veteran educator who has served as the district’s human resources chief for the past five years, will be acting superintendent until the new superintendent begins work.
